"Made in China"

[oscarsear]

1st my apologies to any here of the Chinese persuasion. This is not a cultural indictment. That is to say it is not a racist rant. Recently I've undertaken a re-do of the house of sorts. This has led to the purchase of several new items many requiring assemblage. Needless to say far too many of those are 'made in China' no doubt using child labor under sweat shop conditions, etc. Regardless major American brands are taking advantage of that situation and contracting the design, construction and packaging of their products from said country. My new Cabela's electric smoker was one such item. Shiny green lacquer, well packaged, missing nary a single nut or bolt and fairly good instructions. Of course 2 of those machine screws did not actually screw into the threaded holes meant for said screws. I been screw'n screws in for a long, long time and these did not fit. But being the resourceful person I is .... I fixed the problem and voila tomorrow I smoke. 2day, however, I hung a quilt upon the wall. It is an Amish made quilt with colors that uniquely match my 1968 Jimi Hendrix/Blue Cheer poster featuring a bright blue psychodelic design upon a bright yellow field. And I bought the drapery hanging hardware at Lowes and it was 'made in China'. The 'hang fest' began at 9 and ended just a short while ago. Hours it took and it required a large collection of my tools and engineering savvy (for what that's worth). The shorter brackets made by the same company did not fit only one side of the rod. And once the offended dimension was force fit into the proper placement the associated finial would no longer fit. Nothing channel locks won't correct and so I am done, finally. Why, oh why, oh WHY do these idiotic companies use Chinese companies and NOT triple check what they receive in the final version? There are toy companies selling toxic Chinese made toys and firms selling tainted Chinese made baby formula. Cripes, already. I will now have a martini, shaken, not stirred.

[BigStewMan]

and they're really dropping the ball with those fortune cookies too--none of mine have come true!

[sofa king]

Did it come with batteries?

[Coytee]

I will now have a martini, shaken, not stirred.

And the glass you drink it from was made where?

[]

[CECAA850]

I've done some plumbing around the house and have needed galvanized fittings. Off to the hardware store where they have bins of fittings. There are Chinese made and US made fittings and valves. The US fittings are 2 to 3 times the price of the Chinese fittings. Years ago, I'd use the cheaper ones to try to save a couple bucks. I found out what the difference was after just a repair or two. The cheap ones would split once you put any pressure on them. The inferiof metal they use is evident. The castings and machining are piss poor too. I avoid the "Made in China lable with a passion.

[jacksonbart]

They can sure build the heck out of railroads though.

[dtel]

They can sure build the heck out of railroads though.

And big walls.

[BigCliff]

Desks and or shelving unit, will drive you crazy trying to figure out the directions. And you better guess right or you will know you were wrong before it is all said and done. What happened to easy to understand made in the USA assembly instructions?

[CECAA850]

What happened to easy to understand made in the USA assembly instructions?

They're reserved for things that are actually made in the USA.

[djk]

"And big walls."

As in 'the Great Wal-Mart of China'?

[dtel]

"And big walls."

As in 'the Great Wal-Mart of China'?

Well that one sure made them alot of money.

[thebes]

Only girls read instructions.

[BigCliff]

Only girls read instructions.

And left brain dominant high IQ males that need a logical path to follow.

[Groomlakearea51]

" I been screw'n screws in for a long, long time and these did not fit."

My God!!! The possibilities!!! Endless!!! [6]

(deleted...)

[H]

[BigStewMan]

Only girls read instructions.

they already have breasts, now they're trying to show off by reading?

[ZAKO]

Are those breasts made in China ???? Would you fly on a commercial plane made in China ???

[Groomlakearea51]

maron: Now that ain't right!!! LOLOL!!!

[H]

[dtel]

Are those breasts made in China ????

Only the ones that look like there filled with helium and tend to defy gravity. []

[oscarsear]

Are those breasts made in China ????

Only the ones that look like there filled with helium and tend to defy gravity.

...........or hydrogen. How do you say Hindenburg in Chinese?

[lo123]

My most recent home repair was a toilet tank rebuild. Bought one of the all-in-one kits, some of it worked as advertised. Then made several trips to hardware stores to buy items to "supplement" the afore-mentioned kit. Along the way I bought a new flush valve, the item that the chain from the handle connects to. Finally some real quality. That part worked. Out of all the pieces purchased, this one alone was - Made in America. So, I have mixed emotions from this experience. Bummed that I had to spend so much time rebuilding a toilet tank. Bummed that when I found somethign made in the US of A it was a rubber flush valve. At least it was stamped as made in USA. Hard to tell if that is even true.

Another plumbing adventure some years ago, installed replacement dishwasher, needed new copper tubing. Kept getting a leak when I cut and flared the tubing. Finaly bought a roll Made in USA, no problems. This was 10-15 years ago, not even sure you can buy copper tubing made in this country now.

My father in law says stuff from China has a timer built in, and when the time is up, the item dies. Our 11 month old toaster oven worked almost fine until it was 9 months old. Sure enough, at 1 month plus the warrantly, it croaked. First the temperature oven setting died, then it would not even operate on the toast cycle. Our next unit will be a toaster, only, at under $20 to cut our losses - - - 13 months from now.